Beverage maker



Oct. 21, 1958 A. E. SCHWANEKE ETAL 2,357,502

BEVERAGE MAKER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 1, 1954 ZUQJZZ I QIN V EN TORS wane/fa O 1958 A. E. SCHWANEKE ETAL 2,857,502

BEVERAGE MAKER United States Patent BEVERAGE MAKER Alfred E. Schwaneke,Northbrook, and Fred C.

Schwaneke, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Dormeyer Corporation, Chicago,111., a corporation of Illinois Original application June 1, 1954,Serial No. 433,737. Divided and this application April 11, 1955, SerialNo. 500,548

7 Claims. (Cl. 219-44) This invention relates to a beverage maker, andmore particularly to an electric beverage maker of the percolator typesuitable for brewing cofiee, tea and the like. This application is adivision of our application Serial No. 433,737.

In experiments that we have made, it has been established that a bettertasting coffee can be brewed in an electric percolator if thetemperature of the water is elevated substantially before the pumping orpercolating action progresses to any considerable extent. We have foundthat the duration of the percolating cycle may be substantiallyindependent of the strength of the cofiee to be brewed and that thestrength can be controlled by regulating the starting temperature of thewater prior to any considerable percolation thereof. It is, therefore,desirable to provide an electric beverage maker for percolating coffeein which the water can be heated independently of the percolatingthereof and at the same time to provide means for controlling thestarting temperature of the water.

As is well known in the percolation of coifee, a liquid pump orpercolator is provided that comprises a well which is electricallyheated and which communicates with the axial passage through anelongated stem that carries at its top the basket which contains theground coifee beans. There is a tendency for the walls of the well tohave deposits or coffee residue formed thereon. Such residue collectionsare undesirable for they impede the transfer of heat from the heatingelement to the liquid within the well. The residue collection is evenmore serious where a single beverage maker is to be used for makingeither coffee or tea for it has been found that the coffee residuetaints the taste of tea that may be brewed in the maker, and similarly,any tea residue will taint the taste of coffee that may be brewedsubsequently.

This has resulted in the use of separate beverage makers for brewingcofiee and tea and so far as is known, beverage makers which can be usedinterchangeably for brewing coffee and tea have not found wideacceptance. Desirably then, a beverage maker of the percolator typewhich can be used interchangeably as a tea and coffee brewer, must havemeans provided for quickly and easily eliminating the residuecollections that form in the pumping well thereof during a brewingoperation.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a beveragemaker which can be used alternately and interchangeably for brewingcoffee and tea. Another object of this invention is to provide abeverage maker of the percolator type which is arranged to permit quickand effortless cleansing of the percolator well for the removal ofresidue collections therein. Still another ob: ject is in the provisionof a beverage maker as described in which the bottom wall of the vesselis provided with a percolator well, the walls of the well being coatedwith a metal which permits residue collections to be readily removedtherefrom. A further object is in providing an electric percolator forbrewing coffee and tea and the like and in which the walls of thepercolator well are 2,857,502 Patented Oct. 21, 1958 coated with silver;the silver coating being operative to release residue collectionsthereon when water is heated in the maker with a small amount ofdetergent added thereto when one of the walls is coated or made ofaluminum; the silver coating also having the property of flaking off theresidue collections when the percolator well is heated to well above theboiling point of water with no liquid therein.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a beverage makeradapted to either percolate coffee or brew tea in its selectiveoperation and in which means are provided for heating the water toselected predetermined temperatures independently of the percolatingoperation and before the percolating has progressed to any considerableextent. Yet a further object is to provide an electric percolator havinga thermostatically controlled heating element for quickly elevating thetemperature of the water within the beverage maker and which is alsoequipped with a heating coil about the percolating well thereof forbringing about a percolation operation that is independent of theinitial heating of the liquid within the beverage maker vessel. Anadditional object is to provide thermostatic controls in a beveragemaker as described that are arranged so that in the brewing of onebeverage, such as coifee, the water within the beverage maker can beelevated to selected temperatures independently of the percolatingheating element and percolating cycle, the percolating heating elementhaving ultimate control, however; but in which when brewing otherbeverages, such as tea, the percolating heating element is removed fromultimate control of the cycle and the thermostatic setting of the waterheating element will determine the duration of the brewing cycle.Additional objects and advantages will appear as the specificationproceeds.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional-view of a beveragemaker embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the beverage maker shown in Fig.1, .but in which the percolator pump is in position for operation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical circuits andelements in the beverage maker;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to that of Fig. 3, butshowing a modified form of beverage maker;

Fig. 7 is a front view in elevation of the beverage maker shown in Fig.6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged broken side view in'elevation of the adjustablecontrols for the beverage maker; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7.

The beverage maker illustrated in Fig. 1 is designated generally withthe letter A and comprises a vessel 10 providing a chamber orcompartment 11 therein adapted to receive a liquid 12. The vessel 10 onone side thereof is equipped with a handle 13 which is conventional andwhich is provided with an open central portion 14, which permits thehandle to be gripped tightly between the fingers and palm of a hand. Thehandle 13 may be secured to the vessel 10 in any suitable manner, and,for example, as is customary, cap screws may be used but are not shownin the illustration. Preferably, the lower arcuate portion of the handle13 is secured directly to an insulating base member 15 as shown, whichcarries the vessel 10. On the side of the vessel 10 opposite the handle13, the wall thereof is provided with a plurality of apertures 16therethrough and a spigot or spout 17 is asamoe.

secured to the wall of the vessel about the apertures 16. It will beappreciated that the spout 17 is used in pouring the liquid 12 from theVessel.

if desired, the side walls of the vessel may be.

formed from amaterial that is diiferent than the material used informing the bottom wall 1f), It would be appreciated that it is,desirable to providea bottom wall.

18 that is a good conductor of heat so that the heat provided by theheating elements, which. will; be de; scribed subsequently, istransferred directly and with a.

minimum loss to the liquid 12 of the vessel. For example, the bottomwall 18, may be formed of plated copper, or

aluminum, while the. sidewalls of the. vessel may be.

15 which is equipped with a plurality of feet-21, which are adapted torest upon a table top or-similar support andto supportthe base 15thercabove. The base 15 is preferably. formed from plastic thatconducts-heat slowly so that there will be little. dissipation oftheheat within the vessel 14) andof the liquid'12 by transfer through thebase member.

The vessel ltlzis provided atits top with an inwardly and downwardlyturned annular flange22, which defines.

a central opening 23. The opening 23 is adapted to beclosed by aremovable top orcover- 24 which isequipped with a knob or handle 25 forthat purpose.

The knob 25 may be secured to the top 24 by cap screws- 26. The annulargrooves 27 about the surface of the cap 24 are provided'for ornamentalpurposes. The knob 25 should be a heat insulator so that it can be heldwithout burning ones fingers.

As is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the cover 24 is equipped with. a-dependingannular wall 28, which is substantially parallel to the flange 22, butis spaced inwardly therefrom. The space formed between the wall 28 andflange 22 is adapted to receive therein the vertical wall 29 of a basketmember 30 which has a perforated bottom wall 31 equipped with aninwardly and vertically extending stem portion or. sleeve 32 having apassage 331therethrough. The stem portion 32 at its lower end may becrimped or otherwise rigidly secured to the bottom wall 31 of thebasket. It is clear from the illustration in Fig. 1 that the basket 30is adapted to receivetea leaves 34' therein, or as shown in Fig. 3, isadaptedto receive ground coffee 35. therein.

In the makingof tea, the beverage maker A.do.es.not function asapercolator and the basket Sllis inserted into the vessel and sitswithin the liquid 12 as ,is shown in Fig. 1. Means must be provided tomaintain the basket 30 in a position above the bottom wall 18 of thevessel as is shown in Fig. l, and this isaccomplished by equipping thevertical wall 29 of the basketrwith an inwardly extending rib 36 that isfrictionally received within a complementary L -shaped groove or recess,37 formed in the vertical wall portion 28 of the cover. rib andirecessfrictionally lock the basket and cover together so that they can beinserted and removed as. a unit from the vessel 10. It will be clearthat the cover and basket may be separated by threading the rib 36:

wardly extending annular head 40 which is adapted to.

abut and support thebasket 30 when the stem 39 is slidably inserted intothe sleeve or stem portion 32 of the basket. It is clear from Fig. 3that in the brewing of The coffee the basket 30 is supported so that theupper portion thereof extends upwardly and outwardly above the vessel10. Upon the termination of a coflee brewing operation, the basket 30and stem 39 may be removed from the vessel and the cover 24 placed overthe open ing 23.

The stem 39 is adapted to communicate at its lower end with a well 41which is formed in the bottom wall 18 of the vessel, preferably as shownmost clearly in Fig. 4, the bottom end portion of the stem 39 isequipped with an outwardly extending head 42 and therebelow and spacedtherefrom is an outwardly extending flange relation with theaperturesc45. The washer and screencooperate in permitting liquid toflow from the vessel into the well, but prevent the flow of liquid inthe opposite direction since an increase in the pressure of the liquidwithin the well will force the washer 46 forwardly and against-thescreen 44. Ascan be seen in Fig. 4, the

screen 44 has a downwardly and inwardly-inclined annular flange 47-whichis adapted. to be received within the inclined walls 48-that defineimpart the well 41.

A heating element 49 is carried in heat'exchange relation withthe wall18 0f thevessel and adjacent the outeredge thereof; If desired,theheatingcoil orelement i9- may engage an arcuate shoulder portion 53provided bythe bottom all and which furnishes an enlarged heat exchangesurface for the heating element. Similarly, thewell-4land specificallythe Wall 48- thereot, isequipped withan arcuate shoulder 51 which is inengagement witha heating coil or element 52 which surroundsthe wallinthe area thereof of the shoulder 51. The heating coil 52 and theheating coil 49 may bewholly-conventional and maybe provided by an innerconductor 53 which is enclosed byv an insulator 54, whichinturn carriesa- The sleeve-55 may be metal and may-besleeve 55;- spot-welded; orotherwiserigidlysecured to the-wall48;

A. thermostatic control-for the heating element is provided adjacentthereto and may take the" form of a conventional disc type snap actionthermostat- 56, as shownand which are frequentlyreferred to as etKlixon-= switch. The thermostat 56;is rigidly carriedby aclip 57 whichhas arcuatewall portions-that=snap onto-thesleeve55 provided by theheating element 52. A thermostat 59 is provided for controlling theheating element 4'? and it will be mounted-in good heatingexchangerelation with the bottom wall IS of the vessel 10- a spaceddistancefrom the element 49: The base member 15 will beequipped with theelectric plug 60.

The circuit for the heating elements and thermostats is shownschematically in Fig. 5 and itis seen-that the primary heating element49 is connectedin serieswith the thermostat 55 which is adjustable. Theheating element 49 has a relatively large capacity such as,- forexample, 800 watts, so that it can elevate the temperature. of theliquid within the vessel rather quickly. Inparallel with the heatingelement 49 is theheating element 52. which is'arranged about the well 41for heating the liquid therein. The element 52 may be of-smallercapacity than the element 49 and, as an example, may be about 200 watts.In series with the heating element 52 is the thermostatswitch 56 and asis clear from Fig. 5, the heating element 52 and thermostat 56 in seriestherewith, are togetheizin parallel with the series arrangement-ofheating element 49 and thermostat 59. Paralleling the thermostat switch56 isa relatively high resistance 69 which has in series therewith anindicator light 61. The position ofthe light 61 isillustrated best inFigs. 2- and 8. It is also clear from Figs. 2 and 8 that the thermostat59 is equipped with a control pointer 62 which has connected thereto anarm 63 that slides through a slot 64 in a wall portion of the base 15. Ascale 65 may be formed along the slot 64 and may have indicia thatindicates the proper setting for the brewing of mild and strong coifee,as shown, or for brewing tea.

Also shown most clearly in Fig. 4 is a coating or sheath 66 that isformed along the inner surface of the wall 48 of the percolator well 41.The sheath or coating 66 should be formed from some dense material thatwill give up or release coffee and tea deposits, that form thereon, whenwater and a detergent or other electrolyte are heated within the vessel,or alternatively, when the wall 48 of the well is heated by the heatingelement 52 when the well is dry and without a liquid therein. I have andbase a and also the handle 13a are somewhat different. Also the feet 21aextend downwardly along the side walls of the base 15a, but perform thesame function as the feet 21 described before. The essential differencein the modification of Figs. 6 and 7 is that the vessel 10a is wider andsomewhat more squat than the vessel 10 shown in Figs. 1 through 3. Thepurpose of the shallower vessel 19a is to permit the basket 30a to bepositioned closer to the bottom wall 18a during the brewing of tea. Theposition of the basket 30a when tea is being brewed is illustrated bythe dotted lines shown in Fig. 6 and which are designated with thenumeral 30. With this arrangement a smaller quantity of tea can bebrewed at any time because the basket is positioned closer to the bottomwall 18a and less liquid is required within thevessel to cover thebottom end portion of the basket and tea leaves which are containedtherein. Moreover, the central heating element 52 being directly belowthe basket, the water circulation pattern is favorable to moving thewater through the tea leaves. In other respects the modification issubstantially identical to the structures heretofore described and afurther description of the modification in detail is believedunnecessary and will not be included.

Operation In using the beverage maker for brewing coffee, the requiredquantity of water is placed within the vessel 10, the stem 39 isinserted into the well 41 and the basket 30, with the'required amount ofcoffee therein, is positioned upon the stem with the cover 24 enclosingthereabout, all as shown in Fig. 3. The plug 60 is then connected to asuitable electric outlet and the knob 62 is positioned on the scale 65as desired to make either strong or mild coffee.

As is clear from the circuit diagram in Fig. 5, the heating coil 49 isenergized and the liquid within the vessel is quickly raised to anelevated temperature thereby. If the knob 62 and thermostat 59 arepositioned at the mild point along the scale 65, the temperature of thewater within the vessel will be raised to about 177 F. before thethermostat 59'opens. If, however, the knob 62 is positioned adjacentthestrong point on the scale 65, the water will be raised to atemperature of about 192 F. before the thermostat 59 opens and theheating element 49 is de-energized. The thermostat 59 is completelyconventional and may comprise the usual bimetallic elements.

Simultaneously with the energization of the heating element 49 thecircuit through the heating element 52 and switch 56 in series therewithwill be completed. At this time only a minimum flow of current will bepro- 6 vided through the relatively high resistance 60" and the light61,- and the light then is not lit. The switch 56 is preferably notadjustable and will be set to break the circuit through the heatingelement 52 when the temperature of the liquid 12 within the vessel 10 isslightly below the boiling temperature of water. Initially then, thewater within the well 41 will be pumped upwardly through the stem 39 andwill flow out of the passage 38 and downwardly through the coffee withinthe basket and outwardly through the perforated bottom wall 31 of thebasket. At the same time the heating element 49 will quickly elevate thetemperature of the water to the value for which the thermostat 59 isset.

When the water within the vessel reaches the selected predeterminedtemperature, the heating coil will be de-.

energized and the percolating cycle will continue independently thereofand for substantially a predetermined time which is determined by thesetting of the thermostat switch 59. If mild coffee is being made, thepercolation cycle will have substantially the same duration as when astrong coffee is being brewed and the difference in coifee strength willbe primarily attributed to the temperature to which the water iselevated by the heating coil 49. Stronger coffee will be brewed when thestarting temperature of the water is at a higher elevation. If desired,after the percolating cycle has terminated, the stem 39 and basket 30can be removed from the vessel and the cover 24 can be placed over theopening 23. The indicator light 61 will glow when the circuit throughthe heating element 52 and the switch 56 is broken. The coffee will bemaintained at an elevated temperature for when the temperature of theliquid within the vessel falls below the temperature for which thethermostatic switch 56 is set, the switch will close and the circuitthrough the heating element 52 will be completed and the heat developedthereby will heat the coffee within the vessel.

If tea is to be brewed in the beverage maker, water is added to thevessel and tea leaves are placed within the basket 30. The basket withthe cover 24 thereon is then set into the vessel as shown in Fig. l. Theplug 60 is connected to an electric outlet and the control knob 62 forthe thermostat 59 will be swung into alignment with the tea indicia onthe scale 65, as shown in Fig. 8. Both the heating element 49 andheating element 52 will be energized and the water within the vesselheated. The heating element 52 will be de-energized first for when theknob 62 is set at the tea making position the thermostat 59 will be setto open at a temperature 'of about 210 F. Therefore, during a tea makingoperation, the heating element 49 and thermostat 59 will control theduration of the brewing cycle.

As has been brought out before, it is desirable to the well 41 arecleansed of the residue that has formed thereon.

An alternative and highly unusual procedure may be used to cleanse thewell in place of the water and detergent described when there is noaluminum present. The

beverage maker may be completely emptied and the plug 60 connected to anelectric outlet. The heating element 52 will quickly raise thetemperature ofthe walls of the well well above the boiling point ofwater and it has been found that this will cause the residue clinging tothe silver coating to flake ofi. The beverage *7 d maker will 'not'bedamaged in any Way, for when the temperature of the well walls reachesthe temperature setting "ofthe thermostat 56, the heating element 52will be de-energized. The same is true of the heating element 49and thebottom Wall '18 of the beverage maker with which it is in thermocontact.

While in the foregoing specification embodiments of the invention havebeen set out in considerable detail for'purposes of illustration, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that considerable change inthese details may be "made without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

We claim: '1. In an electric beverage maker having a vessel equippedwith a bottom wall having a well portion therein, a heating element inheatexChan'ge relation with a main portion of said vessel, an adjustablethermostat for said heating element'and being arranged in seriestherewith, a second heating 'element in heat exchange relation with thewell 'portionof said bottom wall, said second heating element beingsubstantially independent of the operation of said first heatingelement, a thermostat for said second heating element and being arrangedin series therewith, said vessel being provided with a liquid pumpcomprisingsaid 'well formed by said wall portion and a stem extendingupwardly therefrom, valve means connecting said main portion and saidwell portion constructed to admit liquid from "said main portion to saidwell portion and continuously prevent passage of liquid from saidWellportion to said main portion, and an indicator light arranged inparallel with said last mentioned thermostat, 'said first mentionedthermostat being adjustable through a range of temperatures extendingboth below and above the temperature of said second mentionedthermostat.

2. "In an electric beverage maker having a vessel with a main portionand a well portion in the bottom thereof normally in communication withthe main portion, a high wattage heating element in heat exchangerelation with the main portion of said vessel independently of said'wellportion, an adjustable thermostat for said'high wattage heating-elementarranged in series therewith and disposed in heat responsiverelationship with the main portion, a second heating element in heatexchange relation with the Well portion, a second thermostat for saidsecond heating element arranged in series therewith and disposed in heatresponsive relationship with the well portion, said second heatingelement and second thermostat :b'ein'g connected in parallel with saidhigh wattage heating element and adjustable thermostat for indepenten'toperation, a'percolatin'g pump means removably received in said wellportion providing intermittent communication between said main and wellportions and ineluding-a tube extending upwardly therefrom, and a valveinterconnectingsaid main portion and said wall portion constructed toadmit liquid from said main portion to said well portion andobstruct'passage of liquid from said well portion to said main portionexcept through said tube, said adjustable thermostat being adjustablethrough a range of temperatures which extends both below and above thetemperature of said second thermostat.

3. In an electric beverage imaker' providing a vessel adapted :toreceive liquid therein having a main portion and a well portion normallyin liquid communication with each other, and an electric heating elementin heat exchange relation with the wall ofsaid main portion, an electric:heating element in heat exchange relation with said well portionthereof, circuit means for connecting said heating elements in parallelwith each other, ad lustable thermal responsive control means in serieswith said first mentioned heating element operative to interrupt thecircuit therethrough when liquid within said main por tion has beenheated toa substantially predetermined temperature, second thermalresponsive control means in series with said second mentioned heatingelement for interruptin'gthe flow of current therethrough at apredetermined temperature of liquid in the well portion whereby saidelectric heating element in heat exchange relation with said wellportion is substantially independent of the operation of said electricheating element in said heat exchange relation with the main portion,and removable pump means including a valve connecting said main portionand said well portion intermittently and constructed to admitliquid'from said main portion to said well portion and continuouslyobstruct passage of liquid from said well portion to said main portion,said adjustable control means being adjustable through a range oftemperatures extending both above and below the temperature of saidsecond control means.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the first mentioned control means isan adjustable thermostat mounted in heat exchange relation with a wallof said main portion and connected in series circuit with said firstmentioned heating element.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein the last mentioned control means isa fixed temperature thermostat connected in series with said secondmentioned heating element and disposed in heat exchange relationwith-the liquid contents of the well portion to interrupt the flow ofcurrent therethrough when the liquid within said Well portion reachesa'predetermined temperature.

6. In an electric beverage maker having a vessel provided with a mainportion and a well portion in the bottom thereof normally in liquidcommunication with each other and an opening at the top, a basketreceivable within said main portion through said opening and having aperforate bottom, a high wattage heating element in heat exchangerelation with the main portion of said vessel, an adjustable thermostatfor said high wattage heating element arranged in series therewith anddisposed in heat exchange relationship with the main portion, a secondheating element in heat exchange relation with the Well portion, asecond thermostat for said second heating element arranged in seriestherewith and disposed heat exchange relationship with said wellportion, said second heating element and second thermostat beingconnected in parallel with said high wattage heating element andadjustable thermostat for mutually independent operation, a percolatingpump means removably received in said well portion providingintermittent communication between said rnain and well portions andincluding a tube extending upwardly therefrom for supporting the basketwith a major portion thereof above said opening, and a valveinterconnecting said main portion and said wall portion constructed toadmit liquid from said main portion to said well portion and obstructpassage of liquid from said Well portion to said main portion exceptthrough said tube, said adjustable thermostat being adjustable through arange of temperatures which extends both below and above the temperatureof said second thermostat.

7. In an electric beverage maker having a vessel providing a bottom wallequipped with a well opening into said vessel and being adapted toreceive a percolating pump assembly therein, a first heating element inheat exchange relation with said bottom wall, an adjustable thermostatdisposed in heat exchange relation with .said bottom wall and beingconnected with said heating element for controlling the flow of currenttherethrough, a second heating element in heat exchange relation withsaid well, and a thermostat disposed in heat exchange relation with saidwell and being connected with said second heating element to control theflow of current therethrough, said adjustable thermostat beingadjustable through fa temperature range that extends both above andbelow the temperature setting of said second thermostat, said first andsecond heating elements being connected so as to define a parallelcircuit arrangement affording independent energization of each.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Graham Oct. 10, 1939 Kircher Nov. 3, 1953Sullivan Nov. 16, 1954 Marquis Dec. 7, 1954 Campbell June 28, 1955 FarrJan. 10, 1956 Edman July 10, 1956 Lohrman et a] Sept. 18, 1956 OBrienJuly 2, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia June 6, 1955

